TRAVEL ESSENTIALS| THE Track and Field EDITION

Last week I went on my first trip to Nigeria! I was sent there for the Warri Relays, a track meet that Nigeria hosts every year. Last year, I wasn't able to go due to visa complications, so it was a huge relief to be able to join my teammates this time around and join them on the adventure.

This meet actually came immediately after I spent a whole week with my teammate, Flings, traveling to meets in New York and Canada. As most of you don't know, I'm the type of person that always forgets something or other when I go on a trip, no matter how hard I try to remember everything. To combat that, I now sit down, make a list, and check and re-check said list to make the chances of me forgetting something reduce by at least 91%. By the time I had to pack for my trip to Nigeria I felt like a had packing down pat! So, now that I've gained my professional packer status, I decided to share some track and field travel essentials and pro-tips for track meets.

GEMMA'S TRAVELING PRO-TIPS ✈️

ALWAYS HAVE YOUR RACE KIT ON HAND. ALWAYS. Whether you're traveling by car, bus, train, or plane, there's always the chance that something might happen to your luggage. The #1 thing you'll need to compete is your race kit. I always carry my kit (race top, shorts, and spikes) in my backpack/carry-on so I know that even if I lose everything else, I'll still be able to race, which is the whole point of the trip. Carry your race kit on you! Trust me, it's worth it.

DON'T STARVE. A common complaint athletes have is that they can't really control the food choices they have depending on their location. It can really throw off your eating habits, which can affect your body and the way you perform. The best way to combat this? Bring your own snacks. You can't control everything you eat, but if you have control over how you get some extra nutrients you know you need, it can really make all the difference.

ENTERTAIN YOURSELF. On my way to Nigeria, I found myself traveling alone. I didn't mind, though. I listened to some music, and read a book to get through all the waiting and long pane rides. Bring something to make those long lines speed by.

NO OUTLETS? NO WORRIES! One thing I've been loving is my portable charger. It can charge my phone fully about three times before I need to find an outlet to re-charge it. It always seems like while I'm traveling, outlets either disappear, or never work, so I just bring my own power with me. You can find these everywhere nowadays, and I highly recommend making this investment.

I'm sure there are many more tips to keep in mind, but those were just the ones that I always make sure to follow whenever I plan on traveling farther than a 10-mile radius from my apartment :P

Safe Travels!

Think I missed something? What are some things that you always carry with you when you travel?